UC San Diego (Audio)

Humans have a deep and complex relationship with microbes. Beyond disease, microbes also profoundly shape human health and behavior through their activity in the microbiome and their diverse roles in food and cuisine. And yet we know very little about the origin, evolution, or ecology of the trillions of microorganisms that call us home. Christina Warinner of Harvard University discusses recent ad...

Intermittent fasting isn’t just about calories—it’s about timing. Michael J. Wilkinson, M.D., F.A.C.C., F.N.L.A., explains how time-restricted eating aligns daily food intake with the body’s natural circadian rhythms. He shares insights from animal studies, clinical trials, and UC San Diego research showing how consolidating meals into an 8–10 hour window can improve glucose control, blood pressur...

A collaborative effort examines how organizations confront religious intolerance, focusing on antisemitism and Islamophobia. It maps an ecosystem of practices across individual, community, and structural levels. Using surveys, interviews, and existing research, the project documents what people and organizations do and why. Approaches include education and skills training; supports for healing and...

Biological resilience underpins healthy aging, and Anthony Molina, Ph. D., investigates how people resist, adapt to, and recover from age-related stressors. Molina defines three domains of resilience linked to aging and studies “life course” resilience using the Rancho Bernardo Study, a longitudinal cohort that starts in 1972 and tracks cognitive, sensory, physical function and comorbidities. His...

David Gokhman of the Weizmann Institute of Science explores how changes in gene regulation shaped recent human evolution. His team used massively parallel reporter assays in skeletal and neural cells to test 71,443 genetic variants that distinguish Neanderthals and Denisovans from modern humans, building a catalog that reveals hundreds of noncoding variants that alter gene expression. The work unc...

The sequencing of genomes from archaic humans, such as Neanderthals and Denisovans, has transformed our understanding of human evolutionary history. These ancient genomes reveal that modern humans did not evolve in isolation but interbred with now-extinct groups, leaving lasting genetic legacies. To date, genomic sequences from 31 archaic human individuals, including four sequenced to high coverag...

Alejandro Sánchez Alvarado, Ph. D., argues that real progress in understanding regeneration comes from studying whole organisms rather than cells grown under artificial conditions. Sánchez Alvarado shows how observations from intact animals reveal organizing rules that narrow laboratory systems can miss. He presents evidence that stem cells in a studied animal lack detectable junctions with neighb...

Climate investor and philanthropist Tom Steyer, recipient of the 2025 Charles David Keeling Memorial Lecture, talks about the current and future state of energy. In a conversation with Scott Lewis of Voice of San Diego, Steyer argues that capitalism and policy must work together at scale, and highlights the marketplace rise of renewables like solar and EVs alongside challenges like slow fossil-pla...

Cris Liang, a UC San Diego alumnus trained in engineering, explains how a cross-border upbringing and family entrepreneurship guided his move from engineering to hospitality. He grew up between Mexico and the United States, spoke Cantonese and Spanish at home and in the community, and came to see food as a bridge that connects cultures and neighborhoods. His restaurants focus on community, offerin...

Michael J. Wilkinson, M.D., F.A.C.C., F.N.L.A., explains how aligning when we eat, sleep, and move with our body’s natural circadian rhythms can profoundly affect metabolic health. Drawing on research from UC San Diego and the Salk Institute, he explores how disruptions in daily patterns—late-night eating, less movement, artificial light—contribute to obesity, diabetes, and fatty liver disease. Wi...

The genome sequences of Neandertals and Denisovans have provided a wealth of new information about the origins, migrations, and interactions of ancient humans. These genomes have revealed that mixture between hominin groups was common: all modern humans outside Africa carry around 2% Neandertal DNA from a single major episode of Neandertal gene flow, while the ancestors of present-day Asians and O...

An in vivo brain organoid platform reveals how human neurons and glia interact across development, aging, and disease. Fred H. Gage, Ph. D., generates three dimensional organoids from induced pluripotent stem cells and examines their maturation, synapses, and network activity with two-photon imaging and single-cell profiling. Gage integrates human microglia and astrocytes to study immune signaling...

Michael J. Wilkinson, M.D., F.A.C.C., F.N.L.A., responds to the question, "How long does it take to get used to Intermittent Fasting?" Series: "Stein Institute for Research on Aging" [Health and Medicine] [Show ID: 41183]

If you feel like there's more rudeness in the world, you're not alone. According to John O'Brien, psychologist and author of "Rudeness Rehab," there's a pandemic of incivility. O'Brien says we're seeing bad behavior everywhere, from the streets to the workplace to even the operating room. As part of our Osher Author Talk series, host Henry DeVries talks with O'Brien about the physical and mental t...

Clinical trials turn scientific discoveries into real options for patients and volunteers, advancing care while safeguarding participants. Sheldon Morris, M.D., M.P.H., explains how independent oversight, core ethical principles, and stepwise phases evaluate safety and benefit, and clarifies participants’ rights and responsibilities. Sandip Patel, M.D., F.A.S.C.O., highlights how carefully designe...

Writer R.F. Kuang has quickly become one of today’s most daring and original voices in fiction, blending sharp social critique with rich storytelling. Her most recent novel, Katabasis, takes readers on a darkly witty descent into the underworld, where academia, ambition, and myth collide. Known for tackling power, politics, and the human cost of ambition, Kuang first captivated audiences with The...

Circadian timing shapes how we sleep, feel, and function each day. Satchidananda Panda, Ph. D., Salk Institute, explains that keeping daily light, meals, movement, and sleep in step with the body’s internal clock supports alertness, metabolism, and recovery. Panda notes that evening light and late eating can make it harder to fall asleep and may work against healthy glucose control, while thoughtf...

Danielle K. Glorioso, LCSW, examines resilience as a skill that can be strengthened. Glorioso explores the many health benefits of resilient behavior. Series: "Stein Institute for Research on Aging" [Health and Medicine] [Show ID: 41123]

Campus-based mental health response matters everywhere, providing timely help that prevents crises and keeps students thriving. At UC San Diego, Triton CORE’s mobile, trauma-informed clinicians meet students where they feel safest and connect them to least restrictive care. Series: "Education Channel" [Health and Medicine] [Education] [Show ID: 40955]

Peter Bolland, professor of philosophy and humanities at Southwestern College, explores the lasting influence of Augustine of Hippo. Born in North Africa in 354, Augustine—now known as Saint Augustine—is remembered as one of Christianity’s most important thinkers. He shaped core beliefs like the doctrine of original sin and wrote The City of God, a work meant to comfort Christians after Rome fell...

Psychological resilience in later life examines how older adults adapt after adversity and cultivate everyday practices that sustain well-being and purpose. Elizabeth W. Twamley, Ph. D., introduces and guides a discussion on mental health and resilience among older adults. Ellen E. Lee, M.D., characterizes resilience as dynamic learning oriented toward flourishing and urges a low threshold for see...

Danielle K. Glorioso, LCSW, explores the complex nature of grief, emphasizing that it is a lifelong, evolving response to loss rather than something to “get over.” She explains the differences between acute grief, integrated grief, and prolonged grief disorder. Drawing on both professional expertise and personal loss, Glorioso offers practical strategies for coping, supporting others, and finding...

Cognitive resilience grows from small, consistent habits that keep the brain adaptable. Fadel Zeidan, Ph. D., frames mindfulness as mental training that improves attention, processing, and the way people relate to pain. Erin E. Sundermann, Ph. D., underscores modifiable pathways to healthier aging, highlighting movement, social connection, hearing support, and lifelong learning as mutually reinfor...

Marisa Korody, Ph. D., leads groundbreaking work at the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance’s Beckman Center for Conservation Research, where scientists use advanced genetic and stem cell technologies to protect endangered species. Korody highlights efforts to save the critically endangered northern white rhino by developing induced pluripotent stem cells that can be transformed into egg and sperm pre...

Targeting the biology of aging offers a path to stronger resilience and longer health. John C. Newman, M.D., Ph. D., explains that aging arises from measurable cellular processes, often called hallmarks of aging, including changes involving mitochondria, stem cells, cellular senescence, inflammation, and protein quality control. Newman describes how basic science in model organisms reveals mechani...